Surface Ice Flow Velocity Estimation of Sikkim Glaciers Using SAR Image Processing

This study is focused on estimating surface ice flow velocity for Sikkim glaciers, situated in the eastern part of India, using the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data in the GMTSAR (generic mapping tools SAR) tool. This study was conducted with the knowledge of the importance of glaciers in higher altitude regions, as they are the only source of freshwater in such areas. Knowing that the glaciers are natural indicators of global warming, this glacier velocity estimation helps in knowing the health of the glacier. A DInSAR (differential interferometry SAR) processing technique is used for this research, which utilizes SAR data to give the LOS (line of sight) velocity. We are emphasizing Sikkim because melting rates in the eastern Himalayas are higher than in other regions of the Himalayas, which is the current research focus. Obtained results provide evidence of glacier velocity in meters per 12 days as the stacking is done between two data points with a 12-day time interval. The present study used 75 glaciers with an area greater than or equal to 1 square kilometer. Results indicate that nearly 1–6.5 m of glacier surface ice flow is present for a 12-day interval for over 10 benchmark glaciers.